Deshields #3 overall pick to Chicago

#52
#52
Amb3096 said:
Zahui B. was a far better college player and can do everything Mercedes can do, but better. I don't think Mercedes is an upgrade at all. I'll be shocked if she beats her out for a roster spot. Maybe Vaughn, but she's a really good defender and a tough, physical player. Mercedes will really have to earn a spot on this roster.
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I go to most of the Liberty games and Zahui B. has been a massive disappointment so far. I'm interested to see what Katie does with Zahui B., but I would be pretty surprised if Mercedes didn't make the roster. NY's posts are mostly solid defenders but outside of Tina, no one can score. MR lacks the defense/rebounding prowess of Stokes and Vaughn, but there's no question that NY desperately needs offense to get over the hump. At a minimum, MR is a low-risk, high-reward pick for NY at #22.
 
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#54
#54
1CHATTVOL said:
Guess you didn't read Laimbeer & Pokey's evaluations and how they were concerned. A big reason DD went to overseas was to boost her college rep.
Chicago mgmt flew 6000 miles to meet with her personally.

Happy for DD. She will do well in the pro environment.
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Truth
 
#56
#56
VA_VOLFAN said:
That would debunk some of the posters on here claiming she left because her GIRLFRIEND Te’a Cooper was asked to transfer by the university🙄 I remember people implying she and Te’a were an item smh. Some people just wanna have something to say as my grandma used to
tell me.
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DD and AK grew up together and are BFFs. They never dated.
 
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#57
#57
Coffy73 said:
She's not. The W is highly competitive and Mercedes is too slow and she just stands around. The center position needs to be strong. If she doesn't get picked, maybe a stint overseas will help her develop better.
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I'm happy for her, finally she get to play for a real coach.
 
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#59
#59
Amb3096 said:
3 months ago, I would have been shocked if someone said Mercedes Russell wouldn't be a first round pick. In hindsight, I don't think she did enough to earn it, so I shouldn't be surprised. At this point, I'm not convinced she's good enough to make a team, at least this year.
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She'll make the Liberty imo because she's better offensively than Amanda Zaui-B, Kia Vaughn, and Kia Stokes combined. She's also the Tallest of the 3.

She's also on a rookie deal and a lot of the teams look to shed veteran contracts to free up cap space.

Also she's with a first year head coach in Katie Smith who will be giving everyone a clean slate in a sense.

I agree with you though that I don't think she did enough (imo) to elevate herself to a Top 12 pick. The talent is there but I don't think the passion/aggression is and I hope this motivates her.
 
#60
#60
Amb3096 said:
Minnesota picked a Korean teenage international post player instead of Mercedes. Ouch...she may not get picked this round.
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Minnesota only wanted players for training camp, Cheryl Reeves already said her team was full and she wasn't adding any more pieces unless someone was out there she really wanted so I knew Russell wouldn't get selected there.
 
#61
#61
travis929 said:
I go to most of the Liberty games and Zahui B. has been a massive disappointment so far. I'm interested to see what Katie does with Zahui B., but I would be pretty surprised if Mercedes didn't make the roster. NY's posts are mostly solid defenders but outside of Tina, no one can score. MR lacks the defense/rebounding prowess of Stokes and Vaughn, but there's no question that NY desperately needs offense to get over the hump. At a minimum, MR is a low-risk, high-reward pick for NY at #22.
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My exact point! With Cedes ability to score it helps her a lot. Now if Tina, Katie, and Burdick (who I think will help her a lot because it is someone she's familiar with) can light a fire under her, I have no doubt that she'll make the team ahead of both Kiah Stokes and Zau B.
 
#64
#64
Interesting quote from DD in a cover story on ESPN.com about her Turkey team coach Ceyhun Yildizoglu:

"He has helped transform me as a person and a player," DeShields said. "I think the thing I learned most was how much I didn't know about myself as a basketball player. I got over there and realized there were some simple things and concepts that either I didn't know, or whoever had communicated them to me before hadn't gotten through.”

Hmmm, I wonder who she’s referring to????
 
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#65
#65
NoBackBoard said:
Interesting quote from DD in a cover story on ESPN.com about her Turkey team coach Ceyhun Yildizoglu:

"He has helped transform me as a person and a player," DeShields said. "I think the thing I learned most was how much I didn't know about myself as a basketball player. I got over there and realized there were some simple things and concepts that either I didn't know, or whoever had communicated them to me before hadn't gotten through.”

Hmmm, I wonder who she’s referring to????
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Mostly she's referring to HERSELF. Or maybe Sylvia Hatchell? Lol.
 
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#66
#66
DD wasn't going to learn anything at Tennessee no player ever has since Holly took over. We win what we win on talent alone. We just saw a player ranked number one in her class fall to 22 in the draft. That is everything you need to know about coaching at Tennessee.
 
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#67
#67
mlindsay said:
My exact point! With Cedes ability to score it helps her a lot. Now if Tina, Katie, and Burdick (who I think will help her a lot because it is someone she's familiar with) can light a fire under her, I have no doubt that she'll make the team ahead of both Kiah Stokes and Zau B.
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Cierra is no longer with the Liberty. She's with Vegas.

I don't dispute Mercedes' talent. I've always believed she was the complete package. I just think her biggest obstacle to making a roster at least this year is her tendency to phone it in too often. Why waste a roster spot on her when there are many 2nd or 3rd year players who didn't make a roster last year that are coming into training camp with that hunger. If Russell doesn't follow suit, I don't see why Smith would use spot on someone they have to convince to play.
 
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#69
#69
Volfan2012 said:
DD wasn't going to learn anything at Tennessee no player ever has since Holly took over. We win what we win on talent alone. We just saw a player ranked number one in her class fall to 22 in the draft. That is everything you need to know about coaching at Tennessee.
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Not even gonna get into all that except to say that I have thought the WNBA draft is highly influenced by the fever pitch of the media/tournament.

Just like when TN won in 2008, all 5 starters got drafted. Only 3 made a team and really only 2 have had much of a pro career.

Obviously subjective, but if TN had made the 2018 F4, Mercedes would've likely been picked Top 10 - maybe Top 5.

She would've been essentially the same player she is at # 22.
 
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#70
#70
1CHATTVOL said:
Not even gonna get into all that except to say that I have thought the WNBA draft is highly influenced by the fever pitch of the media/tournament.

Just like when TN won in 2008, all 5 starters got drafted. Only 3 made a team and really only 2 have had much of a pro career.

Obviously subjective, but if TN had made the 2018 F4, Mercedes would've likely been picked Top 10 - maybe Top 5.

She would've been essentially the same player she is at # 22.
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I definitely agree with this.
 
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#71
#71
1CHATTVOL said:
Not even gonna get into all that except to say that I have thought the WNBA draft is highly influenced by the fever pitch of the media/tournament.

Just like when TN won in 2008, all 5 starters got drafted. Only 3 made a team and really only 2 have had much of a pro career.

Obviously subjective, but if TN had made the 2018 F4, Mercedes would've likely been picked Top 10 - maybe Top 5.

She would've been essentially the same player she is at # 22.
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Maybe for borderline cases, I would agree. But all the girls picked in the first round have held their ground for most of the season with regards to draft spots. Maybe you have players like Vivians who had spectacular senior years and shot up the draft boards, but that was over the course of the entire season, not just the tournament. I think the only thing a strong tournament does is get people to research you further, like in the case of Marie Gulich. Everyone knew who Russell was, so I don't think Tennessee's poor tournament performance was a factor as much as the reservations about her fit for the league.
 
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#72
#72
1CHATTVOL said:
Not even gonna get into all that except to say that I have thought the WNBA draft is highly influenced by the fever pitch of the media/tournament.

Just like when TN won in 2008, all 5 starters got drafted. Only 3 made a team and really only 2 have had much of a pro career.

Obviously subjective, but if TN had made the 2018 F4, Mercedes would've likely been picked Top 10 - maybe Top 5.

She would've been essentially the same player she is at # 22.
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Absolutely nothing to do with this. These players are graded by scouts on all aspects of the game. Their skill set is closely watched as well as their intensity and basketball IQ.
WNBA teams want players that are well rounded by offensively and defensively as well as their mental approach to the game.
I think Mercedes probably got high marks for some of her offensive skills but low marks in intensity and defense.
She was a promising player out of high school enough to gain the number one ranking and also MVP in the McDonald's All American game. She had a good career at Tennessee but no where near that of a number one player.

She was projected as number 7 first round after her junior season. Her senior season hurt her because her play in second half of season was not what a player of her height and talents should achieve.
 
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#73
#73
different topic - re the players drafted who were at the top of recruiting lists when they graduated and those who by their achievements during their college career merited their place in the draft.

Note also those who we the boarders speculated on whether they might be LVs ie thomas, greenwell,canada all good looking back.
 
#74
#74
travis929 said:
I go to most of the Liberty games and Zahui B. has been a massive disappointment so far. I'm interested to see what Katie does with Zahui B., but I would be pretty surprised if Mercedes didn't make the roster. NY's posts are mostly solid defenders but outside of Tina, no one can score. MR lacks the defense/rebounding prowess of Stokes and Vaughn, but there's no question that NY desperately needs offense to get over the hump. At a minimum, MR is a low-risk, high-reward pick for NY at #22.
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I agree, MR’s strength has never been defense, but offense. This makes her at least a low risk, possibly high reward pick in the draft, because she can probably score against most posts in the WNBA. She will have to greatly improve her motor and defense to be a solid player player, but I’m eager to see if she can get more done sans CHW
 
#75
#75
VA_VOLFAN said:
That would debunk some of the posters on here claiming she left because her GIRLFRIEND Te’a Cooper was asked to transfer by the university🙄 I remember people implying she and Te’a were an item smh. Some people just wanna have something to say as my grandma used to
tell me.
Click to expand...

They were together at one time.
 
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